Patient reactions in angiography of the head and neck using an ionic and a non-ionic contrast medium.

In a group of 51 patients metrizamide was compared in a double-blind fashion to meglumine ioxithalamate, the contrast medium currently in use at our department, with regard to sensations of warmth or pain elicited by the intra-arterial contrast injection. In all arteries of the head and neck metrizamide injections produce less painful reactions than injections of meglumine ioxithalamate. This difference, however, is statistically significant only for the external carotid and for the vertebral arteries, as pain reactions are much less often elicited in other vessels. It is concluded that in neuroradiology the favourable properties of metrizamide with respect to pain responses can best be utilized in 'sensitive' vascular areas (superselective external carotid angiography, spinal angiography, vertebral angiography).